14 Best GIF Makers [Desktop, Online & Mobile]

• I tested 14 GIF makers across desktop, online, and mobile platforms, including tools like Movavi Video Converter, GIMP, Kapwing, Veed.io, ImgPlay, and more.
• Some programs are feature-rich but harder to learn (like GIMP), while others are lightweight and quick for one-off projects (like Kapwing or ScreenToGif).
• Choosing the right tool depends on whether you want creative control, speed, or mobile convenience.
• Keep your GIFs short and under 10 seconds for smoother playback and faster sharing across apps.

Did you know that the first GIF was created back in 1987? That makes it older than Google, YouTube, and even me, struggling to send my first text message on a Nokia. Fast-forward to today, and GIFs are everywhere—in chats, on social media, even sneaking into work emails when words just don’t cut it.

I’ve spent time testing a wide range of GIF makers. Some made the process ridiculously easy, while others tested my patience.

After trying them all, I’ve pulled together a list of the ones that stood out the most. Whether you’re on Mac, PC, Android, or iOS, there’s something here that can turn your videos and images into shareable, eye-catching GIFs.

Best overall: Movavi Video Converter
When I tested Movavi, I was impressed with its balance of speed, editing tools, and ease of use. I could quickly turn clips into GIFs, tweak subtitles, and adjust effects without a steep learning curve. It felt like the most reliable all-rounder.

Best free budget software: GIMP
When I tested GIMP, I liked that it offered advanced editing features without costing a cent. It’s not the fastest tool, but the flexibility makes it a strong free option.

Best for mobile users: ImgPlay
It felt smooth and fun to use on my phone. Shooting clips directly in the app and adding filters made it easy to create polished GIFs on the go.

Best lightweight tool: Piskel
Piskel stood out when I wanted to make pixel-art style GIFs. It’s simple, runs in the browser, and onion skinning made frame-by-frame animation much easier.

Best for beginners: ScreenToGif
I picked ScreenToGif here because the workflow was straightforward. Recording part of my screen and instantly turning it into a GIF made the process beginner-friendly. The editor has plenty of features, but I never felt overwhelmed while using it.

Going with GIF editor software rather than the online or app route gave me a healthy set of features right on my desktop. Download it once, install it, and you have reliable GIF creation software at your fingertips, with no need to be connected to the internet. The software is also designed to integrate into whichever system I use, creating an optimal experience.

If you’re looking for a GIF maker to download or a good GIF-editing program, I found these GIF editors for Windows, macOS, and more, the most optimal:

Why I picked it: I liked how versatile it was. It’s not just a converter but also a reliable GIF-making tool with plenty of editing features.

Operating systems: Windows and macOS

Best for: Batch conversion & ability to convert files to 180+ formats

When I tested the latest edition of Movavi Video Converter, I found that it was much more than just a powerful piece of GIF-making software. As the name suggests, it’s a dynamic tool for video conversion that allows you to convert video and media files at warp speed and transfer that video to any platform or device. I was also able to extract audio and images from videos with a click. Once I had what I needed, I simply rotated, cropped, and merged the video, all in the same place, which makes it a stellar GIF-making program as well.

How to make a GIF with Movavi Video Converter

1. First, download, install, and launch the software.
2. Drag and drop the source video into the program.
3. Click Edit and use the tools on the Trim tab to delete all the unnecessary fragments.
4. Then hit Save and Close.
5. From the Images tab, select GIF as the target format and choose an appropriate preset.
6. To create a GIF, click Convert.

For more details, read the article linked below:

How to convert video to GIF with Movavi Video Converter

Why I picked it: I liked that it gave me professional-level image editing tools for free, and that it was powerful enough to handle GIF creation too.

Operating systems: Windows, macOS, and GNU/Linux

Best for: Comprehensive image editing

GIMP has been around for well over two decades, making it an old standby as far as software goes. For those wondering, GIMP stands for GNU Image Manipulation Program, and as such, it’s first and foremost an image editor. As far as comparisons go, I think of it as being similar to Adobe Photoshop. Because GIFs are essentially just animated images, GIMP is a stellar piece of freeware for creating and editing them and one of the better free GIF editors out there.

Why I picked it: It’s lightweight, easy to install, and lets me create GIFs without dealing with a steep learning curve.

Operating system: Windows

Best for: Simple interface

SSuite Gif Animator is straightforward, no-frills, free GIF editor software. With very little learning curve, I was up and running, creating GIFs, slide shows, and even basic videos with a few clicks. For those looking for simplicity, it doesn’t get simpler than this GIF maker software, which is free to download for PC and takes almost no space on the computer. Designed as green software, it’s made to use the least resources on systems, too.

Why I picked it: I went with GiftedMotion because it’s tiny and portable, and it lets me create GIFs without even installing it.

Operating systems: Windows, macOS, and GNU/Linux

Best for: Users who want to save hard drive space. The app comes as a JAR file, so no installation is necessary

With GIF right in the name, GiftedMotion exists for one reason: to help creators make GIFs with ease. Developed by Onyxbits and also small in size, this, too, is free GIF-making software. As I’ve seen them mention on their site, in creating GiftedMotion, they take the KISS approach (“keep it simple, stupid”) and offer up a painless GIF-creating experience.

Why I picked it: It creates GIFs using a screen recorder, which is a handy way to capture exactly what you need.

Operating system: Windows

Best for: Creating GIFs by recording what’s on your screen

ScreenToGif is a pretty nifty and clever program that allows me to create GIFs by recording my screen, using my webcam, or using a sketchboard. Upon trying it, I realized I could turn what I was looking at on-screen into a GIF in minutes. With basic editing controls built in, I was able to add the cuts I needed and manipulate frames. It’s also possible to add an existing video or image to an existing project. It’s another GIF maker that’s free to download.

And there we have it—some of the best GIF maker software out there, including GIF makers for Windows, Mac, or Linux to cover all bases.

I discovered that GIF editor software varies widely in complexity and functionality. When considering GIF-making software, I considered what I really needed and my level of skill, given that some require more time to learn than others. Luckily, I was able to find anything from animation GIF freeware and more premium programs to fit all sorts of requirements.

Perhaps some people don’t make enough GIFs to warrant downloading GIF-making software free or otherwise, and that’s fair enough. But for me, I sometimes want the convenience of jumping onto a website and using a GIF maker that’s fully online. For making GIFs online, I handpicked the services below.

Why I picked it: I chose Piskel because it’s a fun, lightweight tool that makes pixel-style GIFs easy to create, despite the fact that I’ve never animated before.

Best for: Creating pixel art

OS: Web version; Windows, macOS, Linux

Likely the most unique GIF maker on this list, Piskel is focused on pixel art, which the name hints at. Think along the lines of old-school Mega Man graphics. I was able to create “sprites,” as they call them, in their free online editor. They also offer a downloadable, offline version, which is particularly convenient.

Why I picked it: It’s one of the largest GIF libraries online.

Best for: Creating GIFs with clips from social media platforms

OS: Any, web-based

GIPHY is a leading GIF platform that delivers 10+ billion pieces of its content—GIFs, stickers, arcade, video, and more—to over 700 million people around the world. During testing, I could browse through an endless collection of ready-made GIFs for inspiration or quick use. However, even with seemingly endless GIFs, I couldn’t always find what I was looking for, but it’s still undoubtedly among the top free GIF animators online.

Why I picked it: It’s easy to use, and I could make longer GIFs than most other online tools allow.

Best for: Creating GIFs up to 60 seconds long

OS: Any, web-based

Launched in 2009, Imgur is another well-known online GIF maker. With a reach of over 250 million people per month and billions of views, the app is so familiar to me that I likely crossed paths with content that was generated here. In fact, Imgur is one of Alexa's top 15-ranked sites.

Why I picked it: I liked Ezgif because it does exactly what I need without extra clutter. It’s purpose-built for making GIFs.

Best for: Loading up to 2,000 images

OS: Any, web-based

Ezgif is much more like the free GIF maker software I reviewed above in that it's purpose-built for that, whereas GIPHY and Imgur have a community aspect. With Ezgif, I simply uploaded my files and made a GIF. It very much lives up to its name in that sense.

Why I picked it: I chose Kapwing because it’s fast, runs fully online, and gives me creative control without installing software.

Best for: Browser-based editing with text, stickers, and effects

OS: Any, web-based

With Kapwing, I quickly turned both videos and images into GIFs right from my browser. I could trim clips, combine photos, add animated text, and even insert stickers or transitions without downloading anything. Once finished, sharing was simple with a direct URL and embed code.

Why I picked it: It’s fast, clean, and packed with tools that make GIF editing feel effortless right from the browser.

Best for: Beginners and pros looking for quick browser-based GIF creation

OS: Any, web-based

Veed.io lets me turn short video clips into GIFs in minutes. Editing felt smooth, where I could trim, split, loop, or rotate sections, then add captions, drawings, or text effects. I also liked that I didn’t need to install anything, and the free plan gave me plenty of flexibility.

With a phone in everyone’s hand these days and half of the world’s web traffic being generated from mobile, it makes sense that not only would you want to have the ability to make a GIF on the go, but also that strong video-to-GIF apps are available.

Luckily, there are, and we’ll take you through the best GIF makers for Android and iOS that can help you turn video into a GIF in-app and more.

Why I picked it: It lets me use AR effects while making GIFs on my phone.

Operating systems: Android and iOS

Best for: Creating GIFs with AR features

I’ve already discussed GIPHY’s online tool above, but some might not know they have a GIF creator app, too. In addition to having access to their massive library, with their GIF animation app, I was able to create GIFs in real time. Plus, there are a whole host of other tools, including some AR features. As a GIF maker app, GIPHY is a solid choice.

Why I picked it: I went with ImgPlay because it gave me lots of creative freedom with filters, stickers, and text animations.

Operating systems: Android and iOS

Best for: Lots of filters and text animations

ImgPlay is another GIF-making app that’s worth a look. With a sleek design and an intuitive layout, this animated GIF app shines with various filters, stickers, and editing capabilities that make it a strong choice.

Why I picked it: It’s this simple: GifMe! is one of the few GIF maker apps still available for Windows phones.

Operating systems: Android, iOS, and Windows

Best for: Creating GIFs from imported photos and videos from the camera roll

GifMe! is a nice, no-frills GIF animation app that could quickly turn a video I shot on my phone into a GIF. I could also create GIFs from imported photos and videos from my camera roll and apply filters, stickers, text, and borders.

Regardless of the type of phone you use, an Apple or Android GIF maker fits the bill.

Needless to say, you have many great options regarding apps, online editors, and GIF animation software, so find what works best for you and have some fun!

Picking the right GIF maker really depends on your style and needs. If I want to edit pixel art or frame-by-frame animations, Piskel is the one I reach for. When I’m after simple online tools, Kapwing and Veed.io make it easy to turn short clips into GIFs without any downloads. On my phone, I prefer ImgPlay because of its filters and text animations. 

But when I need a reliable all-rounder with smooth performance and advanced editing features, I always end up using Movavi Video Converter.